Muroaka scores tying goal with 36 seconds left in regulation
By Jimmy Durkin Staff Writer
The Gilroy girls water polo team kept its season alive by outlasting Carmel 8-7 in an overtime victory in the first round of the Tri-County Athletic League playoffs at San Benito.
“It was an amazing battle,” coach Andy Been said. “We got extra efforts out of everybody.”
Jenny Ailes scored four times, including once during overtime to help the Mustangs avoid a heartbreaking loss.
Gilroy took a 3-2 lead after a high scoring first quarter. Carmel got on the board first, but Cassie Collom, Lauren Baty and Jenny Ailes each put one in the cage to put the Mustangs on top.
The Padres tied it up with 2:57 left in the second quarter, but five seconds later Ailes fired in a goal to put Gilroy back on top.
The Mustangs took a 5-3 lead into the fourth quarter behind another Ailes goal, but three straight goals by Carmel, including the final one with 53 seconds left, gave the Padres a 6-5 lead.
Gilroy’s Kaitlin Muroaka sent the game into overtime by scoring with 36 seconds left and Ailes and Baty both scored to stake Gilroy to an 8-6 lead in overtime.
“We had our chances n the middle of the game but we didn’t cash in on them,” Been said. “But at the end of the game when we got our chances, we did.”
Carmel closed the gap to 8-7 with a goal with 13 seconds left, but the Padres couldn’t punch in the game-tying goal and the Mustangs advanced to Thursday’s semifinals with the win.
